Tuesday 27 February 2018

WELL IT'S ALMOST SPRING!


This pot of daff's will be lucky to survive the bitter weather that's about to hit the UK this week.

Lots happening with the garden in the early part of the year , just need some good not too cold dry weather every weekend so that we can get it all done!

We have concrete posts and gravel boards plus already prepared stained fence panels just waiting for some warmer weather to arrive, so we can remove some old fencing on the left hand side of garden by the gazebo which is leaning and the posts are rotting. we are intending to replace most of the posts and fence panels on the left hand side of our garden as thats the side we are responsible for and we want to get the work done while we are still able to do it ourselves.

Then once those panels are in we will be removing the old gazebo which we re-roofed and filled in a few years back.
The gazebo was not put up by us, so we do not know how sound the posts are and did consider strengthening it by making new walls that would stand on a concrete base but although a cheaper way to go it would take much longer and be a lot of work.

So we decide to completely remove the Gazebo see whats underneath and replace it with a 40cm thick log cabin.


I will be using this for storing my fabrics and wool and for sewing and other crafts. It lower in height than the gazebo but slightly wider. So we will need to move a few shrubs along the border at the side so the cabin will fit.
This cabin is meant to be able to be erected in two days! But will take slightly longer as we want ti insulate the roof and floor.

Then we need to complete the folly! We decided that we need another couple of corner stones and maybe a carved stone to go in the big plain wall on the outside to break up all the brick work.
The base needs to be made for the other side of the arch doorway and then that door way completed.

Once that's all done the section of path outside needs to be replayed to complete the look. Then inside needs to be made good with maybe some old paving, a fake hearth etc.

Then it will be time to look at the other jobs... plus while thats all going on we'll need to keep on top of the rest of the garden to keep down any weeds, split any plants and all the other things that need doing as the earth warms and spring arrives.

Oh and did I mention we agreed to open the garden, along with others in the village,  for the church again this year..... in June....



So busy busy busy once spring arrives !
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Sunday 25 February 2018

CATCHING UP ON LAST YEAR

Well I did not realise so much time had passed since I last put on a post for the garden.

So  mini catch up.

In November we had our old brick outhouse removed and the old cracked and broken patio taken up and a lovely Indian sandstone patio laid in it's place.



This is the awful old paving that was red and yellow and was down when we arrived thirteen years ago , we did not replace it before now because we were trying to decide whether to have a conservatory/ garden room. The white building/wall is an outhouse that the previous owner had permission to remove when he built the extension but never did , but it stops the view of the garden from the french doors.



But we could live with it no more, so got some quotes to have it removed and replaced.



we also had this path replaced due to the amount of grass that kept seeding into the cracks.



so in early November we had a company come in to do all the work.


Over a couple of days the outhouse came down and the old broken paving was taken up and removed.



paving going..



almost done!


This was the pile of stones, paving and bricks that was collected . We had considered saving some money by taking all the outhouse down and the paving up ourselves, when we saw just how much there was we were so glad we'd decided to let them do it!



within a week we were looking out on this lovely sight!


The old brick path replaced by sandstone paving surrounded by a grey brick edge.


Nearly to the far side and round to side gate.


then finished.


Love the colour of the paving when it's wet.


looking from the garden


We replaced the fence panel on the left hand side with a new one and then painted the two different colour brick walls and the fence panel black to match them all together.

Neptune finally got his place back on the wall.


We decided to paint the back of the house black to match in but it was now getting very cold so only managed this part of the wall before we had to stop until the Spring.

The woodwork on the back of the house also needs repainting but it's all waiting on the warmer spring weather.


The paving will be sealed once the warmer weather arrives to protect it from staining and spills.


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